Having just purchased a 3D projector I decided I needed to get a 3D capable bluray player. In a flash of brilliance I decided to replace my old analogue tuner HDD/DVD Recorder with a digital tuner model at the same time. Combining the two requirements into a HDD/Bluray Recorder with twin digital tuners.I chose a top-of-the-line Panasonic DMR-BWT835 for that all-in-one solution. However I have discovered now that I try to play a bluray in it, it will only output 2 channel 48kHz PCM to my HT receiver (via hdmi). After trying every different audio setting in both the recorder and receiver, with no luck, I consulted the owners manual. I discovered one line buried in the audio settings section that stated; 'regardless of audio settings, 2 channel 48 kHz PCM will be output if the disk is copy protected' .[rant]At this point I have to say What-the-........ Panasonic! What is the point of having a player capable of HD 3D video from bluray, if you cripple the HD audio playback? If I now have to go out and buy another bluray player, just to be able to use 3D, it definitely won't be a Panasonic. [end rant]

Can anybody who owns an 835 shed any light on a setting I may have missed? Surely Panasonic haven't been this dumb.The unit's spec sheet even states it is capable of DD-TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, but what is the point if it won't play commercial disks?My existing bluray players (both Panasonics) output the same blurays in glorious HD Audio, so I am confident that the blame lies entirely with the 835.

Please someone come up with an obvious solution I have missed so i dont feel like I have wasted $900.

Thanks for the suggestions. I had been through those settings to no avail. But I maligned Panasonic unjustly, and for that I apologise. Operator error I'm afraid. It was the way I had it connected into my AV system that was at the root of the problem. Having given advice in another thread that the source may be looking through the AV receiver and seeing the TV as a stereo PCM device, that was exactly what was happening in my case (one of those a ha moments in the middle of the night). I have the 835 connected to an HDMI splitter and then to 3 Onkyo AV receivers, those then feed 2 Panasonic TVs and a projector, each with their own surround speakers. Troubleshooting involved connecting the 835 directly to the projector's receiver. The HD audio symbol magically appeared! The next step was connecting the 835 back to the splitter then disconnecting each receiver in turn from the splitter. Turned out to be one of the TVs that was being 'seen' through its receiver by the 835 and that was driving it's audio settings. I had to change the setting in the receiver from TV audio through - auto, to off. So I have learned; Panasonic know what they are doing, I should complete troubleshooting before jumping on GZ and ranting, and I haven't wasted $900. Thanks again for suggestions to solve the problem.